Improvement in the construction of ships



eighteen inches. two parts by the keel, so that I have a sepa! UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.'

JOHN VVEEMS, OF JOHNSTONE, COUNTY OF RENFREVV, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 58,742, dated October 9, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI I, JOHN WEEMS, of Johnstone, Renfrewshire, in the Kingdom of Great Britain, engi neer, h ave invented Im provemen ts in the Construction of Ships and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention may be said to consist in the construction of vessels with air-tight or partially air-tight compartments in such manner that among other advantages the following are obtained: First, preventing by self-acting means, wholly or in part, the rolling and pitching motion to which ships are subject when at sca; second, raising, depressing, orcanting vessels when alioat; third, loatingoi` vessels which may run aground 5 fourth, enabling vessels of heavy tonnage to cross bars and traverse rivers which they cannot now enter; fifth, aiording easy access for the workmen to repair shotholes or other damage to the sides of vessels while at sea; sixth, enabling vessels to turn within a smaller circle more speedily; seventh, keeping vessels aiioat ,'eighth, causing barnacles or other parasites to drop from the sides of vessels.

I construct my ship with an outer easing, between which and the inner shell or 'hull' of the vessel I leave a space of, say, for example, This casing is divided into rate compartment on each side of the vessel, extending entirely fore and aft and from keel to deckor only part of the length and depth ofthe hull, according to circumstances-for example, the requirements of a war-vessel dit'- fering from those of trader, the position and construction of the compartments will necessarily be modified to suit them. The two compartments or chambers thus formedbetween the inner and outer casing of the hull are made perfectly air-tight, or partially so, with the exception of a series of holes or openings with which the outer casing is pierced at intervals along its length, such orifices being made, by preference, at the bottom of each chamber and nea-r the keel of the vessel, which is the diaphragm separatinghe two chambers. Further, the top of each cham ber is connected by a tube or tubes, conduit or conduits, to an air or other elastic iiuid generator, receiver, or containers, or to a single or double-acting air or other iiuid pump, or other suitable contrivance for forcing or exhausting air or other elastic Huid, these conduits being opened or closed by ordinary taps or cocks, or by any suitable valve or regulated opening. Y

Figure l, Sheet 1, of the accompanying drawings represents mid-section of a vessel con.- strncted as above described, with an onter shell or case, a, the keel b acting as a diaphragm to preserve the two sides independi ently air-tight c c', the holes or openings for the free passage of water into and out of the two chambers A A', formed by the space left between the outer casing and hull a' of the ship. same construction, with openings e c', communicating by tubes or conduits with one or more air or other elastic-fluid receivers or containers, or one or more air-pumps, or other suitable contrivance for forcing fluids or for generating or exhausting elastic iiuids.

The vessel being placed in the water on an even keel, as shown in Fig. l, the water will enter the chambers A A' by the orifices c c', and rise therein to the same level as the Water in which the vessel oats, and as the air contained in the chambers cannot escape, (the conduits e e' being closed,) each chamber will be tilled above the line d d' with compressed air. Now, supposing the action of the 'Wind and wave coming from the direction indicated by the arrows, the vessel would naturally have a tendency to incline over to the opposite side, as shown in Fig. 3, Sheet 3, of the drawings; but this tendency is here checked, tirst, by the weight of the water in chamber A, which resists every effort to raise it above theiouter water-level; secondly, by the buoyancy of the air in A', which resists any further submersion of that side. Thus, when the vessel attempts to roll, bot-h sides will present a resistance to the power ofthe wind and wave as lthe air in the chamber A, or Windward side, will be rareed,and thatin A', orleeward chamber, be conipressed, thereby preventing herA rolling and keeping her steady. The total resistance to the wind or Wave will of course be dependent upon the length and width ot' the spaces or Fig. 2, Sheet, 2 shows a vessel of the f chambers between the t casing a and the hull c'; but I will take, for example, a vessel constructed as shown, with an air-chamber on each side eighteen inches broad by two hundred feet in length, and presume that an average depth of water-say, seventy i hohes-could be obtained. This would represent a downward pressure on the one side of the ship equal to about ninety-six tons, andan equal upward pressure on the other side of the ship, presenting, therefore, a combined resistance ofl one hundred and ninety-two tous to the pressure of the wind and wave, and this will be further augmented by the leverage power obtained from the height of the vessel and by the rapid motion with which the weight is acted on by the wave.

If desired, the resistance can be still furtherincreased by forcing air or other elastic uid into the leeward chamber, thus adding to its power of buoyancy.

'lo prevent pitching or heaving, it is not nec essary to interfere with the means for preventing side rolling. For this purpose I place an air-tight partition or diaphragm in each of the chambers A and A', midway between the bow and stern of the vessels length, so that I have four chambers ii'xdependently air tight, or nearly so. When the bow of the vessel rises the air in the forward compartments right and left of the vessel is rareed while the air in the stern compartments is compressed. Thus we have a power of resistance forward and a power of buoyancy aft, these two powers acting in unison to prevent or ease .the pitching motion of bow and stern.` It need scarcely be observed that when the stern of the vessel rises the action is reversed.

To raise the vessel when in an upright position, as at Fig. 1, air or other elastic'iluid is forced in equal proportions at the same time into the. chambers or compartments A A', displacing the water from the level d d', and causing it to issuev at c c' until the pressure shall give a buoyancy sufficient to raise the ship out of the water to the height required, thereby enabling vessels to cross bars and traverse rivers which they cannot nowenter.

It will be evident that by this meansIeould easily and safely iloat ott' a vessel which may have struck upon a submarine bank or rock, even if the rock had torn or fractured her outer casing; for, suppose the vessel to be aground and the vertical distance from the small holes c c to the surface of the water be thirteen feet, this height ot water would balance a pressure of air or other liuid in the chambers of live and one-half pounds per square inch; and this would give a iloating power equal to about two hundred and twelve tons, and as she got into deeper water the power of buoyancy would increase in a corresponding ratio by the greater compression of the air or other fluid in the chambers.

To cant or careen a vessel, as at Fig. 2, I exhaupt or withdraw the air or other fluid from the chamber A', and at the same time force air or other nid into the chamber A, consequently the chamber A' will beY filling with water while the water in the chamber A is being displaced by the air or other uid and this simultaneous increase of buoyancy on the one side and weight on the other will careen the vessel, as shown, thereby afording easy access for workmen to repair shot-holes or other damage to the sides of vessels while at sea.

When I desire to re-establish the equilibrium I reverse the process-that is to say, I force air or other fluid into A', and exhaust it from A; and it will be evident that if I continue this action after the vessel is on an even keel, it will eareen over to the opposite side.

If the vessel were forced over into the position shown at Fig. 3, by the shifting of the cargo or other cause, it could be righted in the samevmanner-that is to say, by forcing air or other fluid into the submerged compartment and exhausting it from the other in other words, substituting weight for buoyancy, and vice versa. Y

In adapting my invention to iron-clad or other war vessels the airchambers can be placed below the water-line, and the vessel can be canted over on-either side for the elevation of the guns, and the lowering of one side will be found to assist in movin gher round within a smaller circle, and more speedily than vwhen on an even keel; and in the event of pursuit, the water in the chambers may be displaced by air or other fluid, thereby raising her out of the water, and enabling a greater speed to be attained; or air or other duid or wa.

ter maybe admitted or displaced from one or other suitably-arran ged chambers to bring the vessel down by the head or stern, ,or otherwise alter or improve her trim; and the vessel can 'and water-tanks of ships constructed as previously described, or in ships constructed in the ordinary manner, by fitting such compartments or tanks with a tap and pipe, or ,other suitable contrivauce communicating with the y water in which the vessel ioats, so that should the vessel become leaky or in danger of sinki ing, the water in the tanks may be displaced by air or other fluid, and the air or other duid in the watertight compartments be compressed, and both powerfully assist in keeping the vessel atloat.

The principle of said inventionV is not confined to vessels built as shown in the accom panying drawings, but is applicable, wholly or in part, to all vessels. V.When I desire to cleanse the outer hull or casing, a, from barnacles or other parasites, I displace the water in the chambers A-A' by the introduction of steam, and thus raise the temperature of the casing a to such an extent that the barnacles will instantly drop oft' the ships sides; and for this purpose it is not,

ltherefore, necessary to dock the vessel; further, the ship may then be canted, andthe cxposed side painted While warm.

In constructing ships with an outer casing or double hull, a great increase of strength and safety is obtained, as the outer casing may be tied to the inner, to which 'it affords great protection, and to the ribs of the vessel by tie-pieces placed Where the greatest strength is required.

Having now described the nature of my said invention, and in what manner I carry it into practical effect, I would here observe that the proportions and the position ot' the airtight compartments in the vessel will be regulated by' the size and construction thereof; and the object more especially sought to be obtained-for example, the position of the compartments-Will, as hcrcinbefore mentioned, mostly differ in war-vessels from that adopted in trading-vessels; also, that I do not limit myself to the use of any particular description of pump or other machine or contrivance for forcing or exhausting, or apparatus for generating or containing air or other nid, or the use of steam, gas, or other fluid for obtaining the various motions or advantages, but usin g such as I may ind in practice most suitable. Nor do I limit myself to the advantages hereinbefore set forth, as many more may accrue therefrom.

To sum up, myimprovements in the construction of ships consist, rst, in the construction of ships with compartments in communication with the Water in which the vessel loats, so that a certain quantity of such Water may be admitted into or expelled from said compartments by forcing air or other fluid therein, or exhausting it therefrom; secondly, in the application of compartments on the same principle to vessels as already constructed; thirdly, in the application of the same principle to the ordinary Water-tight compartments and Watcrtanks of ships; and

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Obtaining and distributing buoyancy or vWeight in ships by regulating a pressure of air or other fluid on the Water in which they iioat, substantially as herein described.

2. 4The removal of parasites from ships bottom s, after the manner hereinbefore described.

rJOHN VVEEMS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE EDWARD,

Engineer, High Street, Johhstme. ALEXANDER WYLIE,

Clerk, 1 High Street, Johnstone. 

